How We Inspire, Inform and Transform!

Knockout Obesity’s unique recipe for success involves Inspiration (through physical fitness training), Information (through nutrition education), and Transformation (through capacity-building for community-based organizations.) Knockout Obesity delivers its signature obesity prevention and intervention program to youth-serving community organizations, with an emphasis on community centers located in high-need New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) developments.
Click to learn more about our three-prong approach!

Walk To Your Health, Brooklyn! on June 20, 2015

Knockout Obesity is proud to host the inaugural, Walk To Your Health, Brooklyn! First Annual Family Walk to Knockout Childhood Obesity, on Saturday, June 20, 2015, at Brooklyn Bridge Park! This debut walk for NYC will unite Brooklynites in the fight against childhood obesity, and raise funds for Knockout Obesity, so we can continue our efforts to help children develop physical fitness and nutrition habits that will promote healthy lifestyles and prevent obesity! Volunteer, Walk or Sponsor.
Learn more how you can support this great event!

Founder and Executive Director

Knockout Obesity was founded in 2013 by Brooklyn restaurateur and lifelong borough native, Dimitrios Verteouris. He was inspired to create the organization based on his personal experience overcoming obesity. Born with congenital heart difficulties that required numerous surgeries and severely limited his ability to engage in physical activity, Dimitrios struggled with morbid obesity from a young age. As a result, he grew up with a lifelong desire to find ways to improve his fitness and health, while helping others accomplish the same. Through his three “Nature’s Grill” restaurants in Brooklyn, he demonstrated commitment to providing healthy food to his community, even as his personal struggles with obesity continued.

In 2011, Dimitrios was invited to participate on Food Network’s reality television series, Fat Chef. During the course of filming, he shed 85 pounds in just three months through a non-contact, boxing-based training program. Since the conclusion of the show, he has remained steadfast in his training and has lost more than 100 pounds in total. Through many conversations with personal trainers, professional boxers, and CBOs serving at-risk youth in Brooklyn, he conceived a way to share his success with others and help youth get fit, stay fit, and “knockout” obesity. After piloting the program with The Boys’ Club of New York in 2013, Knockout Obesity officially launched its program at Good Shepherd Services’ Miccio Cornerstone Center in Summer 2014. Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and professional boxing trainer Gary Stark, Jr., participated in opening day activities to help launch this important initiative.

Mission

OUR MISSION is to combat childhood obesity by providing nutritional and physical education, and programming, using the tenets of boxing, while partnering with private and non-profit organizations to reach both youth and adults in need.